New discoveries, new adventures, new inventions, new tales...

by Nancy Knudsen, Editor on 24 Apr 2014 News of interest to the cruising sailor is forever fascinating – new stories, new inventions, new discoveries and adventures looming.

Broome's historic pearling luggers are getting few and far between in Australia these days, so it was great to see another on its way to restoration. Quaintly called Pam, THIS pearling lugger will enjoy a new life, but not in the North West.

Remember that amazing cruising sailor Matt Rutherford, who circumnavigated the Americas against all odds in a tiny coastal cruising boat, solo and non-stop? Forever changed by his great journey he is off again across the ocean to measure Pacific pollution.

None of us want to ever have to be rescued, much less lose our precious boat if we have one. So there's many reasons to be fascinated by other sailors personal stories of rescue and loss. Apart from the natural desire to feel their pain with them in their time of difficulties – which could happened to any of us – each situation raises useful questions. What could they have done better – if anything? What equipment lessons are there? What could I personally learn from this story?

So I found Art Munneke's story particularly moving this week. Experienced, tough, he was simply caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and it's a reminder that there's just a little luck that needs to follow us wherever we sail.

The other article that I was particularly captured by is that of the Irish student who has solved the problem of the persistent but unreliable use of mobile phones for rescue situations in coastal sailing. He has invented, in a seeming miracle, a phone-case that turns the mobile phone into a VHF radio. How clever is that!

Much other news as well. We tell of the recreation of a beautiful new tall ship in France, the Hermione.

A natty little marine film is featured, with which you can repair small scratches on your paintwork and Vincent Bossley's 'Sailing Adventures in Paradise' is the featured sailing e-book.

If you're close enough to Sydney, there's a date for your diary, 6th May at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia for a valuable Marine Electrics seminar by Rob Starkey, on his 'home turf' talking about how this subject relates to your own boat.

Run your eye down the headlines to find other stories that interest you, and...

...if you're lucky enough...

...sweet spring sailing!